My Old Friend
by Hope Falls
Summary: Value friendship for what is in it, not for what can be gotten out of it." -H. Clay Trumbull
1. Default Chapter

My Old Friend

(1?)

Rivercourt Rating: 3-4

Summary: This story is going to predominantly focused on Haley and Lucas, though there will definitely be all of the familiar faces from Tree Hill )

A/N: This story is going to start at the early points of their life, but within four chapters they should be in high school… hope everyone enjoys it. As always, feedback is appreciated.

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"**The future depends on what we do in the present."**

**-Mahatma Ghandi

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**

"You'we mean!"

"Am not!"

"Awe too!" The five-year-old girl retorted, arms crossed over her chest as a pout spanned across her lips.

"Nuh uh!" The little blonde boy at her side argued, shaking his head emphatically. Lucas Scott was many things; but even at the tender age of six he wasn't about to let a girl accuse him of being something that he wasn't. At least, that is, something that he thought he wasn't guilty of being.

"Yuh huh!" Shaking her head at the boy, Haley James sniffled quietly, brown eyes with a sadness to them. Rising to her feet slowly, she glanced at the boy that had sat down beside her after she'd run away from the group in their kindergarten class.

"I wasn't tryin'a be mean." He spoke after a moment, rising to his feet as well, standing beside the girl that had only been in his class for a couple days. Haley James was the new girl in Mrs. Johnson's class, having just recently moved into town. And now she felt like an outcast, like she didn't fit in. And maybe she didn't… the majority of the residents of Tree Hill had been born and raised there. And then, there was Haley.

"You stowe my cookie!" Young Haley responded, innocent brown orbs widening, as though in sudden realization of what he'd done—aware that the homemade chocolate chip cookie her mother had packed for her had now settled into Lucas' stomach .

Biting down on his lip, he looked down ashamedly before trying to excuse his behavior: "I was still hungry."

"No, you'we just mean." She mumbled as she walked towards her cubby, silently picking up her coat and putting it on. In her young mind, if nobody liked her here she'd just leave—she'd leave and go back to where she was from. Her old home with her old friends and her old school.

As Lucas was about to argue with Haley once more, he stopped short as he watched her sliding her jacket on. As it was, It was playtime and the teacher was pre-occupied with Danny, a little boy that had a slight bladder problem. Turning his attention from the teacher to Haley, the girl that he'd upset, he frowned. "Where awe you going?"

"Home."

"Nuh uh—you can't!"

"You can't stop me."

"I can… cuz…" Lucas paused, as though at a loss for words before glancing behind himself and nodding with the confidence that only a stubborn six-year-old can carry. "I'll tell Mrs. Johnson—and then… then she'll call your parents and you'll be in biiiiig trouble!"

Instantly, Haley frowned at his words. Silently she slipped her hand into her My Little Pony bookbag, opening her lunchbox and pulling out a Ziploc baggie with a chocolate frosted brownie in it. "Hewe." She spoke after a moment, pushing the bag towards Lucas. "If you take it you have to promise to not tell."

Lucas looked at the brownie that she handed him, standing silently as the auburn-haired kindergartener exited room 37 of Tree Hill Elementary. After standing silently with the brownie in his hand for a minute, he glanced deeper into the room to ensure that the teacher was still preoccupied before grabbing his bookbag and walking out into the hallway, biting down on his lip. While it wasn't an extremely big school, to a child that age it was enormous, and he had no idea where to go. Shrugging his small shoulders slightly, he began to walk towards the backdoor of the school that led to the playground. He wasn't sure where any of the other hallways went, and maybe he'd be lucky.

"Haley?" He called in a loud whisper as his eyes scanned over the decently sized playground, searching for the girl that he'd seen only minutes before. Continuing to look around Lucas finally spotted her sitting at the bottom of a slide. Walking over to her, he stood in silence, watching her stumble to wipe at her tears.

"Go 'way." She mumbled before rising to her feet, forehead creasing at the boy that had followed her outside. After he had been mean to her and stole her cookie she hadn't wanted to see him, or the other students in her class again. They were mean, and they weren't her class. Her class was back in Cleveland… not at Tree Hill. She didn't know anyone here, and she just wanted to feel secure again—the one thing that Haley's parents hadn't planned out in their move was Haley's difficulty adjusting. But even though they hadn't planned for it, it had been there. And every night since the move she'd cried herself to sleep in their bed.

"I thought you were leaving." He spoke after a moment, standing in front of her, the uneaten brownie still in hand.

"I—I am. I just wanted to go down the slide one last time… 's a nice park." Haley lied. "I'm done now—bye."

"Wait."

"I'm goin'." She nodded her head as she began to walk before Lucas moved quickly to stand in front of her.

"My Uncle Keith said—you should always try to help." Lucas began as he pursed his lips together. "If you're going, I'm going with you—you shouldn't be all awone. There might be strangers out there."

Haley looked at him thoughtfully for a moment before nodding her head and allowing him to walk beside her, the young pair outside in the playground all alone—and yet unwittingly together. "Okay… but, you have to share the brownie. 's a long walk."

"Where are we going?" Lucas asked as he walked next to her, oddly in step since they'd never really talked.

"Cleveland." And with that, Lucas slipped his hand around Haley's, the first moment of friendship that either had truly experienced.


	2. Chapter 2

My Old Friend

(2?)

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Things never did go back to 'normal' for Haley and Lucas after their walk to Cleveland—that is, their attempt to walk to Cleveland. Their adventure was cut short by a group of panicking school officials, not to mention parents. But as Mahatma Gandhi said, it is the actions of today that will change our tomorrow, and by reaching out to Haley, Lucas forever changed the course of which their lives would take.

* * *

"Lucas Scott!"

"Haley James."

"Lucas!"

"Haley." Came the devilish but simple reply as a smirk turned Lucas' lips upwards. Seeing the evil glint that had worked its way into his rarely calm blue eyes, she shook her head emphatically at him, taking progressively faster steps away from him. "Hales, where are you goin'?"

"Oh, me?" Fourteen-year-old Haley inquired with a slight laugh, raising her eyebrow to her best friend of nearly eight years. "I, uh… think I forgot I had voice lessons." She managed to stammer, watching as the smirk that was on Lucas' lips slowly alter into an all-out grin.

"No, I don't think that's what you forgot." He laughed, keeping the squirt gun aimed at her, as she continued the slow progression backwards. "I think you forgot that you were full of crap."

"I am many things, Luke, but full of crap is not one of them." Haley told him matter-of-factly, eyes resting warily on the water capsule that he had pointed in her direction. Thankfully though, the moment was interrupted by the voice of Lucas' mother, Karen.

Sighing at the interruption, Lucas lowered the squirt gun, pursing his lips together. "What do you want, Mom?" He called back, a hand resting on Haley's hip to prevent her from moving too far.

"I just finished making some sandwiches… are you and Haley ready for some lunch?"

"No, actually—" He began before Haley quickly interjected, trying not to laugh as Lucas tried to quiet her.

"We're very ready for some lunch. I'm starved!"

"No she's not."

"Yes, I am!" Haley simply laughed, pushing his hand off of her hip and heading inside of the house. Walking into the kitchen she smiled at Karen, walking to the refrigerator to get a drink. "Might I say that you have _perfect_ timing?"

"Well I'm glad that I could be of service." Karen smirked slightly as Lucas made his way inside, sending his mother a look before shaking his head.

"I thought you were on my side, Mom." Shrugging her shoulders lightly, Karen simply watched her son as she slid a plate in front of both of the teenagers. Not only had Lucas and Haley's lives changed since that day in kindergarten, but so had hers. Since then it was as though she'd had another member of the family—and she was lucky to have Haley there. If for nothing else than the sanity that another girl brought into her household. But above all, it was good to see Lucas happy.

"Hey, Luke…" Haley spoke slowly, taking a bite of her sandwich before continuing a moment later. "Isn't the roster for the JV team supposed to be up tomorrow?" She inquired of the Ravens' Junior Varsity basketball team. Basketball had always been something that Luke was passionate about, something that he was good at. Even when they were younger it was something that he constantly played. And finally, he was being given a chance to play.

"Yeah… guess we'll see if I'm good enough, huh?" Luke spoke dryly, any enthusiasm in his voice having faded. That surprised Haley, whenever he spoke about basketball he was enthusiastic, upbeat and starving for more information on the game.

"Luke are you—"

"I'm fine."

"You're a bad liar, Lucas—" Haley interjected once again, a frown instantly spanning across her lips when he wouldn't allow her to finish what she'd been trying to say to him. It was obvious to her that something was wrong, that he was anything but fine. And usually he would open up and talk about things with Haley without a second question. So why then was he drawing into himself and trying to act like nothing was bothering him? And what, in fact was it that was sending Luke into this sporadic bout of quietness.

"And you need to butt out." He snapped as he rose to his feet with his half-eaten sandwich, casting a glare at Haley.

"Lucas! Use your manners and apologize to her."

"I think I'll pass." And with that Lucas made his way towards his bedroom, slamming the door behind himself and leading the two leading ladies in his life utterly speechless.

* * *

As with most arguments that they'd had over the years, Lucas snapping at Haley was forgotten shortly after the fact. It wasn't like Haley to hold grudges, but it also wasn't like Lucas to lash out at her as he had. Seemingly, Lucas had become the protector, trying to make sure nobody did wrong by Haley. So why then had he been the one to lash out, but more importantly… why had he felt the need to lash out at her in the first place?

That question lingered on Haley's mind as she walked down the corridor of Tree Hill High with Lucas at her side after the last bell had rung for the day, signifying that it was time to leave. Not only that, but it signified that the basketball rosters would be posted in front of the gymnasium… it was the moment of truth. "You ready to go check out the roster?" She inquired with a hopeful smile.

Shaking his head slightly, Luke glanced over at Haley. "Actually, I need to head out front. My mom's out there—doctor's appointment." After hearing his explanation, Haley nodded her head.

"I'll talk to you later, then?" After ensuring her that he'd see her within a few hours, Haley dropped her books off at her locker before slowly making her way down the hallway. Curiosity getting the best of her, she turned down the hallway and headed towards the gymnasium, almost positive that she would see Lucas' name on the roster. Stopping abruptly when she arrived at the list, she waited for the crowd to clear before walking up to the list, eyes scanning it slowly. "Gerardi… Long… Davis…" Mumbling the names as she read the JV team's roster, she began to get worried. "Scott, Scott… come on… ah… there we go. Scott."

_Nathan Scott_.

Eyes widening slightly at the lack of

at the lack of Lucas' name, she shook her head. "No way…"

"Not what you expected?" Hearing the voice of the cocky freshman behind her, Haley turned on her heels to be met with the face of Nathan Scott.

"I have to go." Haley informed him flatly, disliking Nathan for many reasons, mainly because of his past with Lucas. And above all, because of who his father was and all that Luke had to work past because of him.

"So, did Luke make the team?" He asked sarcastically, obviously already knowing the answer. Simply shaking her head, she began to walk away. "Oh, Haley?"

Stopping short, she adjusted the bookbag on her shoulder. "I'm late for my tutoring session—what do you want?"

With a smirk beginning to work its way across his lips, Nathan shrugged nonchalantly. "Tell Lucas if he wants to make the team next time, he has to actually show up for try-outs." And with that, Nathan winked at her and silently made his way down the hallway, leaving Haley to her thoughts.


End file.
